Power plant control room operator

About this occupation

Power plant control room operators are responsible for the safe and proper operation of power plants, switchyards and associated control structures. They repair and maintain the involved machinery and equipment to ensure the plant's efficient operation and to tackle emergency situations such as blackouts.

A specialisation of power production plant operator.

• Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.
• Take regulatory action, based on readings from charts, meters and gauges, at established intervals.
• Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment.
• Start or stop generators, auxiliary pumping equipment, turbines, or other power plant equipment as necessary.
• Monitor power plant equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems.
• Operate or maintain distributed power generation equipment, including fuel cells or microturbines, to produce energy on-site for manufacturing or other commercial purposes.

Typical education (US)

High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)

Preparation

Job Zone 2 of 5

Interests

Realistic, Conventional, Investigative

Top skills: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Active Listening, Monitoring

US median pay: US$102,040 a year (2025), 29,320 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.

Subjects this work relies on

How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).

• MetalworkO*NET: MechanicalVery important (4.0)
• English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (3.6)
• ChemistryO*NET: ChemistryImportant (3.2)
• PhysicsO*NET: PhysicsImportant (3.1)

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

Preparation needed

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Most common education (US)

High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)

Education

Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Experience

Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Training

Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.